Laundry appliance

Abstract

The present application relates to laundry technology field, specifically provide a kind of laundry equipment, to solve the problem that existing laundry equipment is complex in structure when realizing external air to outer tube is dried, it is not conducive to the simplification design of product structure.For this purpose, the laundry equipment of the present application includes outer tube, window pad, drainage pump, valve assembly and fan, drainage pump is communicated with outer tube by pump pipe, valve assembly includes barrier mechanism and the valve shell with air inlet cavity and air outlet cavity, air inlet cavity and air outlet cavity are independently arranged, air inlet cavity is communicated with air inlet pipeline, which is communicated with pump pipe or the bottom of outer tube, air outlet cavity is communicated with air outlet pipeline, which is communicated with window pad, fan is arranged on air inlet pipeline and / or air outlet pipeline, barrier mechanism is arranged to simultaneously block air inlet pipeline and air outlet pipeline.The present application can improve the drying effect between outer tube and inner tube, facilitate the overall structure arrangement of product, reduce the complexity of product design.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laundry technology, and specifically provides a laundry device. Background Technology

[0002] Laundry equipment is a garment processing device that can wash, rinse, dehydrate and / or dry clothes. Some laundry equipment also adds functions such as air washing, disinfection, sterilization and fragrance. There are many types of laundry equipment, such as the most common drum washing machine, top-loading washing machine and washer-dryer combo.

[0003] Taking drum washing machines as an example, existing drum washing machines include an outer drum and an inner drum. During washing, a certain amount of water is first injected into the outer drum, and then the inner drum tumbles the clothes to achieve washing. It is designed to mimic the principle of beating clothes with a stick. After washing the clothes, the outer drum and the window gasket connected to the outer drum are damp, that is, there is residual water on its inner wall. Over time, bacteria can easily grow. If the door glass is simply opened to allow the outer drum and window gasket to dry naturally, the effect is very limited. Moreover, the window gasket has folds, which is not conducive to the dissipation of moisture. When the user uses the drum washing machine a second time, the bacteria and dirt on the inner wall of the outer drum and the window gasket can easily cause secondary contamination of the clothes, seriously affecting the washing effect and resulting in a poor user experience. Washer-dryer combos add a drying system to traditional drum washing machines, giving them a drying function. Some models can even perform air washing. However, while the drying system can dry the residual water in the outer drum and door seal after washing, washer-dryer combos use an internal circulation system. This means that moisture still circulates between the drying duct and the outer drum. Furthermore, the dehumidification of washer-dryer combos mainly relies on the dehumidification device of the drying system. This means that if the residual water in the outer drum and door seal is to be further removed after the drying cycle, the drying system needs to continue running, which significantly increases the washing machine's energy consumption and is very detrimental to energy conservation.

[0004] Patent document No. 201922216894.9 discloses a drum washing machine, which includes an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe with a fan. Both the air inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the outer drum, allowing flowing air to enter the outer drum and dry the inner and outer surfaces of the outer drum. The flowing air is then discharged from the washing machine through the air outlet pipe. This method of drying the outer drum with outside air prevents the growth of dirt and bacteria. However, this type of drum washing machine cannot guarantee that external dirt will not enter the washing machine, and still poses certain safety hazards.

[0005] Patent document No. 201810106076.0 discloses a vent structure and a washing machine. The vent structure includes a vent and a rotating body. The rotating body is rotatably disposed at the vent. The rotating body has a through first connecting hole arranged radially. When the rotating body rotates, the first connecting hole can communicate with the vent or the rotating body can block the vent, thus selectively connecting the first connecting hole with the vent. This achieves the purpose of opening or closing the vent by rotating the rotating body. The vent structure can be disposed on the front panel of the washing machine casing, or simultaneously disposed in the rear vent. However, when the vent structure is only disposed on the front panel, external dirt can easily enter the drum washing machine through the rear vent. If a vent structure is also disposed in the rear vent, both vent structures need to be closed separately to achieve complete isolation between the drum washing machine and the outside world, which is very unfavorable for the product structure layout and seriously increases the complexity of the product design.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need in the field for a new type of laundry equipment to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problem that the existing washing equipment has a complex structure when using outside air to dry the outer drum, which is not conducive to the simplification of product structure design.

[0008] This invention provides a washing device, which includes an outer drum, a window gasket, a drain pump, a valve assembly, and a fan. The drain pump is connected to the outer drum via a pump pipe. The valve assembly includes a blocking mechanism and a valve housing having an air inlet chamber and an air outlet chamber. The air inlet chamber and the air outlet chamber are independently arranged. The air inlet chamber is connected to an air inlet pipe that connects the outside to the pump pipe or to the bottom of the outer drum. The air outlet chamber is connected to an air outlet pipe that connects the outside to the window gasket. The fan is arranged on the air inlet pipe and / or the air outlet pipe. The blocking mechanism is configured to block both the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe simultaneously.

[0009] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the blocking mechanism includes a drive motor, a first blocking component, and a second blocking component. The output shaft of the drive motor is connected to both the first blocking component and the second blocking component. The first blocking component is disposed in the air inlet cavity, and the second blocking component is disposed in the air outlet cavity. The drive motor can drive the first blocking component and the second blocking component to move simultaneously to block the air inlet cavity and the air outlet cavity.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the drive motor is connected to the transmission shaft, the first barrier is a first barrier plate, the second barrier is a second barrier plate, both the first barrier plate and the second barrier plate are disposed on the transmission shaft, and the drive motor can drive the transmission shaft to rotate so that the first barrier plate and the second barrier plate rotate simultaneously.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the drive shaft passes through the air outlet chamber and the air inlet chamber sequentially from one side of the valve housing, and the drive shaft is rotatably mounted on the partition plate that separates the air inlet chamber and the air outlet chamber.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the air inlet pipe includes a first air inlet pipe and a second air inlet pipe. The fan is installed on the first air inlet pipe. The first air inlet pipe connects the air inlet of the air inlet chamber to the outside. The second air inlet pipe connects the air outlet of the air inlet chamber to the pump pipe. The air outlet pipe includes a first air outlet pipe and a second air outlet pipe. The first air outlet pipe connects the window gasket to the air inlet of the air outlet chamber. The second air outlet pipe connects the air outlet of the air outlet chamber to the outside.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the front panel of the washing equipment body is provided with an opening that communicates with the outside, and the second air outlet pipe is connected to the opening.

[0014] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, an air outlet detection device is provided at the opening.

[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the air inlet and the air outlet of the air inlet chamber are located on opposite sides of the valve housing.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned washing equipment, the air inlet of the air outlet chamber and the air outlet of the air outlet chamber are located on opposite sides of the valve housing.

[0017] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned laundry equipment, the air outlet duct is connected to the top of the window gasket.

[0018] With the above technical solution, after the washing machine finishes the washing program, the present invention can start the fan to allow outside air to enter the air inlet pipe, and then enter the outer drum and window gasket through the pump pipe or the bottom of the outer drum to dry the inside of the outer drum and window gasket. Finally, it is discharged through the air outlet pipe, which avoids the growth of bacteria due to residual water inside the outer drum and window gasket. In addition, the blocking mechanism can block and cut off the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe at the same time. The structure is simple, which is conducive to the overall structural layout of the product and reduces the complexity of product design.

[0019] Furthermore, the drive motor can drive the first barrier to block the air inlet cavity, and at the same time drive the second barrier to block the air outlet cavity, thereby achieving simultaneous blocking of the air inlet and air outlet ducts. That is, the drive motor is used as the driving source to achieve simultaneous blocking of the air inlet and air outlet ducts. The overall structure is simple, which is conducive to the overall structural layout of the product and reduces the complexity of product design.

[0020] Furthermore, the drive motor can drive the transmission shaft to rotate, thereby rotating the first and second baffle plates, thus achieving simultaneous isolation of the air inlet and outlet chambers. With this setup, not only can the air inlet and outlet pipes be isolated simultaneously, but the rotation drive method can also minimize the space required for the valve assembly, which is more conducive to the overall spatial structure layout design of the washing equipment. Moreover, the structure is simple and easy to manufacture.

[0021] Furthermore, the drive motor is located outside the valve housing, allowing the transmission shaft to extend into the valve housing to drive the first and second baffle plates to rotate. This arrangement provides a structural foundation for the installation of the drive motor, and the fact that the drive motor is located outside the valve housing does not affect the airflow. Moreover, the drive motor is not subject to the safety hazard of being covered by humid air, further improving the safety of the washing equipment.

[0022] Furthermore, the air outlet detection device can detect whether air is coming out of the air outlet duct, thereby determining whether the air outlet of the washing equipment is normal. This allows users to know the air outlet status, which is beneficial for controlling the washing equipment and further improves the user experience.

[0023] Furthermore, having the air inlet and outlet of the air inlet chamber located on opposite sides of the valve housing facilitates the arrangement of the air inlet duct, reduces the complexity of product design, and is beneficial to the overall structural layout.

[0024] Furthermore, having the air inlet and outlet of the air outlet cavity located on opposite sides of the valve housing facilitates the arrangement of the air outlet duct, reduces the complexity of product design, and is beneficial to the overall structural layout. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with a drum washing machine, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drum washing machine of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the valve assembly and fan structure of the drum washing machine of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the valve assembly and fan structure of the drum washing machine of the present invention. Figure 2 . Detailed Implementation

[0029] First, those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely for explaining the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, although the present invention is described in conjunction with a drum washing machine, the technical principles of the present invention are obviously also applicable to washer-dryer combos or multi-layer garment processing equipment. Adjustments or changes to these applications do not constitute a limitation of the present invention and should all be limited to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "middle," "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0031] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] Based on the problem pointed out in the background art that existing drum washing machines have a complex structure when drying the outer drum with outside air, which is not conducive to the simplification of product structure design, the present invention provides a drum washing machine that aims to improve the drying effect between the outer drum and the inner drum, facilitate the overall structural layout of the product, and reduce the complexity of product design.

[0033] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drum washing machine of the present invention includes a cabinet 1 and a drum assembly disposed within the cabinet 1. The drum assembly includes an inner drum 2, an outer drum 3, and a window gasket 4. The inner drum 2 is rotatably disposed within the outer drum 3. The window gasket 4 connects the opening of the outer drum 3 to the clothes loading port of the cabinet 1. The inner drum 2 can be directly driven to rotate by a direct drive motor, or it can be driven to rotate by a belt driven by a motor. The outer drum 3 is used to contain washing water, the inner drum 2 is used to tumble the clothes, and the window gasket 4 ensures a seal between the outer drum 3 and the cabinet 1. The bottom of the outer drum 3 is connected to a drain pump 6 via a pump pipe 5. The outlet of the drain pump 6 is connected to a drain pipe, which can drain the washing water from the outer drum 3.

[0034] It should be noted that the conventional washing program of a drum washing machine includes a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, and a draining process. In some drum washing machines, the spin-drying process may be omitted from the washing program. Such adjustments or changes to the conventional washing program of a drum washing machine do not constitute a limitation of the present invention and should be limited to the protection scope of the present invention. During the washing process, a large amount of foam is generated due to the presence of detergent / laundry powder. During the draining process, the drain pump 6 is activated, and the water in the outer drum 3 is discharged to the outside of the drum washing machine in sequence through the pump pipe 5, the drain pump 6, and the drain pipe. Moreover, after the draining process is completed, there will be residual water on the inner surface of the outer drum 3 and the inner surface of the window gasket 4.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the drum washing machine of the present invention further includes a valve assembly and a fan 7. The valve assembly includes a blocking mechanism and a valve housing 8 having an air inlet chamber 81 and an air outlet chamber 82. The air inlet chamber 81 and the air outlet chamber 82 are independently arranged. An air inlet pipe 10 is connected to the air inlet chamber 81, which connects the outside to the pump pipe 5 or to the bottom of the outer drum 3. An air outlet pipe 20 is connected to the air outlet chamber 82, which connects the outside to the window gasket 4. The fan 7 is arranged on the air inlet pipe 10 and / or the air outlet pipe 20. The blocking mechanism is configured to block both the air inlet pipe 10 and the air outlet pipe 20 simultaneously. The air inlet chamber 81 has an air inlet 81a and an air outlet 81b, and the air outlet chamber 82 also has an air inlet 82a and an air outlet 82b. Taking the connection between the air inlet duct 10 and the pump pipe 5 as an example, the air inlet cavity 81 is connected to the air inlet duct 10 that connects the outside to the pump pipe 5. The outside can be directly connected to the air inlet 81a of the air inlet cavity 81, and then the air outlet 81b of the air inlet cavity 81 is connected to the pump pipe 5 through the air inlet duct 10. Alternatively, the air inlet duct 10 has two sections, one of which connects the outside to the air inlet 81a of the air inlet cavity 81, and the other of which connects the air outlet 81b of the air inlet cavity 81 to the pump pipe 5. Similarly, the air outlet duct 20 connected to the air outlet cavity 82, which connects the outside to the window gasket 4, can be such that the air outlet 82b of the air outlet cavity 82 is directly connected to the outside, and then the window gasket 4 is connected to the air inlet 82a of the air outlet cavity 82 through the air outlet duct 20. Alternatively, the air outlet duct 20 can have two sections: one section connects the window gasket 4 to the air inlet 82a of the air outlet cavity 82, and the other section connects the air outlet 82b of the air outlet cavity 82 to the outside. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set the connection position between the air outlet duct 20 and the window gasket 4 in practical applications. Preferably, the air outlet duct 20 is connected to the top of the window gasket 4, thereby preventing water from entering the duct during washing by the drum washing machine. In one possible scenario, see [link to previous section]. Figure 1The air inlet pipe 10 includes a first air inlet pipe and a second air inlet pipe. The fan 7 is mounted on the first air inlet pipe. The first air inlet pipe connects the air inlet 81a of the air inlet chamber 81 to the outside. The second air inlet pipe connects the air outlet 81b of the air inlet chamber 81 to the pump pipe 5. The air outlet pipe 20 includes a first air outlet pipe and a second air outlet pipe. The first air outlet pipe connects the window gasket 4 to the air inlet 82a of the air outlet chamber 82. The second air outlet pipe connects the air outlet 82b of the air outlet chamber 82 to the outside. After the drum washing machine finishes its washing cycle, the controller of the drum washing machine can... A signal is sent to the fan 7 to start the fan 7. The fan 7 rotates so that air enters the pump pipe 5 through the first air inlet pipe, the air inlet chamber 81 and the second air inlet pipe in sequence. Since the drainage is finished, the air in the pump pipe 5 will flow to the outer cylinder 3 and can more easily extend between the outer cylinder 3 and the inner cylinder 2 to dry the outer cylinder 3 and the inner cylinder 2. Then, since the air outlet pipe 20 is connected to the window gasket 4, the humid air will be discharged to the outside through the window gasket 4, the first air outlet pipe, the air outlet chamber 82 and the second air outlet pipe in sequence, thereby ensuring that the inside of the window gasket 4 is also dried.

[0036] In the above, the fan 7 is preferably installed on the first air inlet pipe, so that air can be drawn in through the first air inlet pipe immediately after the fan 7 is started. The front panel of the housing 1 is provided with an opening communicating with the outside, and the second air outlet pipe is connected to the opening. Further, an air outlet detection device is provided at the opening. The air outlet detection device can be a flow sensor or other device capable of detecting air outlet. Through the air outlet detection device, it can be determined whether the drum washing machine is normally executing the ventilation program. More preferably, an air outlet humidity sensor is provided at the opening, and an ambient humidity sensor communicating with the controller of the drum washing machine (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth communication, etc.) is provided indoors. By comparing the ambient humidity detected by the ambient humidity sensor with the air outlet humidity detected by the air outlet humidity sensor, if the difference between the humidity detected by the ambient humidity sensor and the humidity detected by the air outlet humidity sensor is less than a preset humidity value (the preset humidity value can be 5% of the relative humidity), it indicates that the air outlet humidity is approximately the same as or close to the ambient humidity, and the drum washing machine can stop executing the ventilation program.

[0037] Preferably, such as Figure 2 and 3As shown, the blocking mechanism includes a drive motor 91, a first blocking member 92, and a second blocking member 93. The output shaft of the drive motor 91 is connected to both the first blocking member 92 and the second blocking member 93. The first blocking member 92 is disposed within the air inlet cavity 81, and the second blocking member 93 is disposed within the air outlet cavity 82. The drive motor 91 can drive the first blocking member 92 and the second blocking member 93 to move simultaneously to block the air inlet cavity 81 and the air outlet cavity 82. The drive motor 91 can be a rotary motor that ultimately outputs rotational force, or a linear motor that ultimately outputs linear driving force. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the drive motor 91 is connected to a transmission shaft, the first blocking member 92 is a first blocking plate, and the second blocking member 93 is a second blocking plate. Both the first and second blocking plates are disposed on the transmission shaft, and the drive motor 91 can drive the transmission shaft to rotate so that the first and second blocking plates rotate simultaneously. That is, the drive motor 91 is a rotary motor, and the drive motor 91 can drive the transmission shaft to rotate. The transmission shaft simultaneously drives the first baffle plate and the second baffle plate to rotate. The air inlet 81a and air outlet 81b of the air inlet cavity 81 can be located on opposite sides of the air inlet cavity 81, or they can be located on adjacent sides of the air inlet cavity 81. Similarly, the air inlet 82a and air outlet 82b of the air outlet cavity 82 can be located on opposite sides of the air outlet cavity 82, or they can be located on adjacent sides of the air outlet cavity 82. The blocking methods of the first baffle plate and the second baffle plate can be flexibly set according to the respective positions of the air inlet and air outlet of the air inlet cavity 81 and the air outlet of the air outlet cavity 82. In a preferred embodiment, such as... Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the air outlet 81b of the air inlet chamber 81 and the air inlet 82a of the air outlet chamber 82 are located on the same side of the valve housing 8, that is, the air outlet 81b of the air inlet chamber 81 and the air inlet 82a of the air outlet chamber 82 are located on the same side. The drive motor 91 drives the transmission shaft to rotate, so that the first baffle plate can cover the air outlet 81b of the air inlet chamber 81, thereby blocking the air inlet pipe 10. At the same time, the second baffle plate can cover the air inlet 82a of the air outlet chamber 82, thereby blocking the air outlet pipe 20. Since the air outlets 81b of the air inlet chamber 81 and 82a of the air outlet chamber 82 are covered respectively, even if foam is generated during the washing process of the drum washing machine, it will not enter the air outlet chamber 82. Furthermore, preferably, a sealing gasket is provided on the side of the second baffle plate facing the air inlet 82a of the air outlet chamber 82, so that a seal can also be achieved when the second baffle plate covers the air inlet 82a of the air outlet chamber 82. In other examples, the gasket on the second barrier plate can be replaced with a sealing ring that corresponds to the shape of the air inlet 82a of the air outlet 82.

[0038] Preferably, such as Figure 2As shown, a drive shaft passes sequentially through the air outlet chamber 82 and the air inlet chamber 81 from one side of the valve housing 8. The drive shaft is rotatably mounted on a partition plate that separates the air inlet chamber 81 and the air outlet chamber 82. In one possible scenario, a first through hole is formed on the side of the valve housing 8 that forms the air outlet chamber 82, and a second through hole is formed on the partition plate. The drive shaft passes sequentially through the first and second through holes. The portion of the drive shaft located between the first and second through holes (i.e., the portion located inside the air outlet chamber 82) is connected to a second partition plate, and the portion of the drive shaft exiting the second through hole (i.e., the portion located in the air inlet chamber 81) is connected to the first partition plate. Alternatively, the drive shaft can be connected to both the edge of the first and second partition plates, so that the rotation of the drive shaft achieves synchronous rotation of the first and second partition plates. Additionally, a third through hole can be provided on the opposite side of the valve housing 8 where the first through hole is located. The protruding end of the drive shaft can be located within the third through hole. This arrangement allows the drive shaft to be supported by the first, second, and third through holes, improving the stability of the support. The drive motor 91, located on the outside of the valve housing 8, can be connected to the casing 1 of the drum washing machine via a mounting bracket, or the drive motor 91 can be directly welded to the casing 1 of the drum washing machine. In other examples, the drive shaft can also pass through the air inlet chamber 81 and the air outlet chamber 82 sequentially from one side of the valve housing 8.

[0039] Alternatively, the drive motor 91 is a linear motor, the first blocking member 92 is a first blocking plate, and the second blocking member 93 is a second blocking plate. A first slot communicating with the air inlet chamber 81 and a second slot communicating with the air outlet chamber 82 are formed on the same side of the valve housing 8. The first blocking plate is inserted into the first slot, and the second blocking plate is inserted into the second slot. The linear motor can drive the first and second blocking plates to move synchronously in a linear fashion. When it is necessary to block the air inlet chamber 81 and the air outlet chamber 82, the linear motor drives the first blocking plate to insert into the air inlet chamber 81 from the first slot, thereby blocking the air inlet 81a and air outlet 81b of the air inlet chamber 81 from each other. Simultaneously, it drives the second blocking plate to insert into the air outlet chamber 82 from the second slot, thereby blocking the air inlet 82a and air outlet 82b of the air outlet chamber 82 from each other. In the above, the linear motor can also be replaced by a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or other similar structure.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, an internal humidity sensor is installed on the outer drum 3. The sensor's detection end is located inside the outer drum 3 to detect the humidity inside. After the washing machine finishes washing, the internal humidity sensor detects the humidity inside the outer drum 3. When the humidity exceeds a set humidity threshold (e.g., relative humidity 100%), it indicates that the outer drum 3 is very humid. The washing machine's controller can then control the washing machine to issue a prompt to start the fresh air function or automatically activate the fresh air function to dry the drum assembly with outside air. The prompt to start the fresh air function can be a buzzer, or the washing machine can communicate with the user's mobile terminal (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, and smart bracelet) to send a notification message to the user's mobile terminal, which the user can then view in the app. Alternatively, the internal humidity sensor can also be installed on the window gasket 4, with its detection end located inside the window gasket 4 to detect the humidity inside. The humidity sensor inside the drum can also be replaced with an odor sensor. The odor sensor can detect the odor inside the drum assembly, and the controller can determine whether it is an odor based on the detected odor. When there is an odor, the controller of the drum washing machine can control the drum washing machine to issue a prompt to start the fresh air function or automatically start the fresh air function.

[0041] Preferably, such as Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the housing 71 of the fan 7 is disposed together with the valve housing 8. For example, the valve housing 8 has two support arms on one side, and the housing 71 of the fan 7 is disposed on these two support arms. Each support arm is provided with a threaded hole, and the housing 71 of the fan 7 is provided with mounting ears corresponding to the support arms. The mounting ears form threaded holes or through holes corresponding to the threaded hole positions on each support arm. The housing 71 of the fan 7 is connected to the support arms by screws. When the fan 7 is a centrifugal fan 7, the air inlet of the housing 71 of the fan 7 is preferably located on the side of the housing 71 away from the support arms to avoid the support arms affecting the air intake of the fan 7.

[0042] Preferably, an air filter can be installed at the air inlet of the casing 71 of the fan 7. The air filter can prevent dust from entering the fan 7, the outer cylinder 3, and the window gasket 4. The air filter can adopt a multi-layer equivalent filter structure, or a combination of coarse, medium, and high efficiency filters, or other filter structures. Those skilled in the art can flexibly set it in practical applications. In practical applications, a connecting pipe can also be set to communicate with the air inlet of the casing 71 of the fan 7, and the inlet of the connecting pipe can be set on the rear panel of the housing 1, thereby realizing rear air intake and front air exhaust of the housing 1.

[0043] In this invention, a foam sensor can also be installed in the air outlet cavity 82 of the valve housing 8. When the drum washing machine performs a washing program or a rinsing program, the second barrier 93 covers the air inlet 82a of the air outlet cavity 82. If the foam sensor detects foam in the air outlet cavity 82 of the valve housing 8, it indicates that the barrier mechanism has failed to block the foam. At this time, the drum washing machine can issue an alarm prompt, prompting the user to repair the valve assembly or contact a repairman to repair or replace the valve assembly.

[0044] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A laundry appliance, characterized in that, The washing equipment includes an outer drum, a window gasket, a drain pump, a valve assembly, and a fan. The drain pump is connected to the outer drum via a pump pipe. The valve assembly includes a blocking mechanism and a valve housing with an air inlet chamber and an air outlet chamber. The air inlet chamber and the air outlet chamber are independently arranged. The air inlet chamber is connected to an air inlet pipe that connects the outside to the pump pipe or to the bottom of the outer drum. The air outlet chamber is connected to an air outlet pipe that connects the outside to the window gasket. The fan is located on the air inlet pipe and / or the air outlet pipe. The blocking mechanism is configured to block both the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe simultaneously.

2. The washing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The blocking mechanism includes a drive motor, a first blocking component, and a second blocking component. The output shaft of the drive motor is connected to both the first blocking component and the second blocking component. The first blocking component is disposed in the air inlet cavity, and the second blocking component is disposed in the air outlet cavity. The drive motor can drive the first blocking component and the second blocking component to move simultaneously to block the air inlet cavity and the air outlet cavity.

3. The washing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive motor is connected to the transmission shaft. The first barrier is a first barrier plate, and the second barrier is a second barrier plate. Both the first barrier plate and the second barrier plate are disposed on the transmission shaft. The drive motor can drive the transmission shaft to rotate so that the first barrier plate and the second barrier plate rotate simultaneously.

4. The washing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive shaft passes sequentially from the outside of the valve housing through the air outlet chamber and the air inlet chamber, and the drive shaft is rotatably mounted on the partition plate that separates the air inlet chamber and the air outlet chamber.

5. The washing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet duct includes a first air inlet pipe and a second air inlet pipe. The fan is mounted on the first air inlet pipe. The first air inlet pipe connects the air inlet of the air inlet chamber to the outside. The second air inlet pipe connects the air outlet of the air inlet chamber to the pump pipe. The air outlet duct includes a first air outlet pipe and a second air outlet pipe. The first air outlet pipe connects the window gasket to the air inlet of the air outlet chamber. The second air outlet pipe connects the air outlet of the air outlet chamber to the outside.

6. The washing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The washing machine has an opening on the front panel of its housing that connects to the outside, and the second air outlet pipe is connected to the opening.

7. The washing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, An air outlet detection device is installed at the opening.

8. The washing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet and air outlet of the air inlet chamber are located on opposite sides of the valve housing.

9. The washing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet and air outlet of the air outlet cavity are located on opposite sides of the valve housing.

10. The washing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The air outlet duct is connected to the top of the window gasket.

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